Artist Bio
Luis "El Estudiante" Joaquin Rodriguez Ricardo
Born - 1966; Mella, Santiago de Cuba province, Cuba
Luis is a prominent member of the 'Bayate' group of self-taught artists in Mella, near Santiago de Cuba. His paintings portray the daily life of the campasino, those who live in small town and countryside Cuba. His work is regularly exhibited in group shows in Cuba and the United States, as well as one-man shows in Santiago.
Luis's father, Luis Rodriguez Arias, is also a painter and member of Bayate. He is known as "el Maestro", to distinguish him from his son.
Both El Estudiante and El Maestro were featured in the June 11, 2000 New York Times article, "Ebullient Cubans Make a Lot Out of a Little".